Too scared to go bravissimo..

[MummyCool19]

I’m currently wearing a 38d padded bra from Asda. It’s doing absolutely nothing for me. My nipples fall out the top, it rises up, and my back fat is gross. But I don’t want to pay for another crappy bra. I really need to get measured. I tried a 38dd on and it still felt abit small, but much bettter. The band was abit big too. Anyway, I really want to go bravissimo but I’m terrified they will tell me I’m too small chested to shop there. I have tubular breasts so not much tissue and they are saggy 😩😩

I haven’t been measured since I was 17 in M&S when they shouted I was a 48 (no where near I was a size 20!!) C and they had nothing that would fit 😩😩

It's definitely worth going in. They are so lovely, and will advise you not just on the back size and cup size you need but also what shape of bra might be best.
The other option is to do the boob or bust calculator linked above, and after you've blinked incredulously a few times trust what they say and order a load of bras from figleaves, they do free returns.

@SinkGirl do the calculator! What does it say?

They don't just cater to big boobs. I'm the sort who would have once worn 34B or C and now I'm 32DD in Bravissimo sizing.
They just look at your current bra fit to check it, and then they go off to find something suitable. I liked the fact there was no cold measuring tape against my skin. They are very well trained to fit based on the look rather than numbers. And the one I bought is extremely comfortable.
Not cheap, though maybe it's worth it not to be in daily discomfort..

Bufallo it says I’m a 34E but I’m not sure that’s right. I could only find one in M&S to try that was a very full cup shape and not right for me. But the 34Es I’ve tried that I bought online, I can only do them up on the last hook and there’s back cleavage etc even when I scoop - I think 36E might be better, so maybe a 34F? But I really need to try on the same bra in multiple sizes so that’s what I’ve ordered and will return those that aren’t right (although now thinking I need a different shape to what I’ve ordered). Will see how it goes, I may have to return them all!

It’s weird as when I do the band test 34 does seem better than 36 as it’s more snug, with a 36 I can stretch it far away from my body, but I’m not sure if that’s just because of the elastic and whether that’s not what it means.

Sorry OP, didn’t mean to hijack! Sadly there’s no store near me otherwise I would go myself.

Measure using Boob or Bust then order from Brastop - free returns.

Don’t be scared! Every Bravissimo assistant I‘ve ever spoken to has been lovely. Most of them are women of nork themselves.

Measure yourself!!

I would put money on you needing a much smaller band size and much larger cup size.

Bravissimo is a wonderful place, I bet you are more like an G / H cup from what you say so you’ll fit right in!

Go - every fitter I have seen there has been so so so nice and extremely professional.

I went when ds2 was about three weeks old, having not worn a bra at all since I was about 16 weeks pregnant because I was so uncomfortable in everything. I was a sweating, milk-leaking, weepy mess.

They couldn’t have been more lovely to me. Cooed over the baby, gave me time and space to feed him and then waved it off like it was nothing when I dripped milk on one of their bras.

Seriously, go and see them. You won’t regret it.

Oh, and they got me in a comfortable, practical and non-ugly bra. So that was a bonus

Go. I went three weeks ago and it’s changed my life.

I was walking around in a 38C wondering why I was in bloody agony.

Turns out I’m a 34E/F

I’m now comfy, and if I do say so myself, my tits look banging

They could not be any nicer. Trust me.

Go, I buy most my clothes from there too

Just go for it - they’ll have seen it all and they won’t judge you. What dress size are you? It sounds like your band is way too big and your cup size is way too small. Bravissimo either start from a D or DD - can’t remember which. Either way, your breasts are definitely not going to be too small to fit in their bras based on what you’ve said.

Go!! You'll be so relieved! They are lovely and professional and definitely don't shout out your size. I went in at about 16w with stretchmarks, leaky boobs the size of watermelons and a very saggy tummy - they were so helpful and got me sorted right out with decent, comfortable nursing bras. It was a very pleasant experience and I had been dreading it

I took my daughter to Bravissimo for her first real bra. She has a lot of chest and abdominal surgical scarring so she was very anxious and they were amazing with her. She was slightly on the small side for their bras at that time (they do a bigger range now), but they showed her exactly what to look for in a bra, how it should fit, how to put it on properly and test it, and even made suggestions for the types of bras that might work for her without rubbing her scars.

Good thread. I’ve been putting off and putting off getting measured too. Question... the result of these interventions usually seems to be smaller band, bigger cup is the way to go. I absolutely can’t stand the too tight feeling of a new bra and the ‘right’ size often comes out as really tight, does anyone else feel this way?

If it's really too tight for comfort then increase by 1 back size and go down in the cup e.g. you measure as 32F but you find it uncomfortable (after wearing a super loose band) then try 34E instead. Still has same cup volume but on a bigger back

E.g, Pinkatesedfly can I ask, was going from a 38 to a 34 not really uncomfortable round the band? I can’t imagine how a reduced size of 4” wouldn’t be relatively uncomfortable, compared to what you were used to. This idea of much smaller bands bring ‘right’ is what puts me off going, even though my current bras are appalling and from Sainsbury’s!

Ok so an E cup is the same as an D cup if the band is bigger?

Going up in the cup means the back won't feel so tight as if the breast tissue doesn't fit in a too small cup it steals length from the back size making it feel too small

Got it. Thanks dementedpixie.

It's called sister sizes so
38D = 36DD = 34E = 32F = 30FF, etc with regards to cup volume

Anybody - ANYBODY - who can get my DD, endlessly self-conscious about her size (she's a dancer, but not born to be a dancer's shape) to not only try on, but wear with pride, a properly-fitting strapless bra in what she would have regarded as an unthinkable cup size, has my undying admiration.

They're lovely. Honestly. I almost wish they catered for really small sizes just so that I could say 'send everyone there from their first bra to their last'. Endlessly patient, discreet, matter-of-fact, sensitive.

Kalinka ‘women of nork’

I’ve always had a good experience with Bravissimo. The staff seem genuinely delighted by making your rack happier. I went in wearing 36C with overboob, underboob (and possibly Wombling free boob) and emerged a liberated 30FF.

They are lovely but do get it wrong sometimes, I was fitted very badly in there once and I never did return the bra as there is no branch near me (I was staying with a friend when I went).